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Meeting Highlights:
- Swiss Presence in Mexico: Switzerland is the 10th largest investor in Mexico, with 400 companies creating over 55,000 jobs. The Swiss Business Hub and Swiss-Mexican Chamber foster trade and industrial collaboration.
- Swiss Healthcare Leadership: Companies like Roche, Novartis, and Sandoz drive pharmaceutical, MedTech, and nutrition advancements, emphasizing innovation, sustainability, and public-private partnerships. In 2024 alone, Switzerland invested over $50 million in Mexico’s healthcare sector.
- Pharmaceutical Innovation & Impact: Swiss Pharma leads in R&D, clinical research, and early detection. Roche, for example, reached 40 million Mexicans and invested 350 million pesos in clinical trials.
- Opportunities for Growth: Mexico is emerging as a regional healthcare hub, with Novartis pioneering early access to therapies and Sandoz increasing affordability through generics and biosimilars. MedTech opportunities are expanding, particularly in Baja California’s thriving medical device sector.
EF: What is the “Swiss footprint” in Mexico? How does the Swiss embassy act as a strategic partner in strengthening Swiss Mexican ties, especially in healthcare?
PP: Switzerland is the 10th largest investor in Mexico, an impressive rank for a small country. Around 400 Swiss companies operate here, creating over 55,000 direct jobs and supporting local supply chains. Despite its size, our Embassy is highly active, hosting the Swiss Business Hub, which promotes trade and investment as part of a global network. We also collaborate with the Cámara Suizo-Mexicana de Comercio e Industria, a dynamic industrial chamber that has grown rapidly over the past seven years. With more than 60 members, it brings together the largest Swiss companies in the country.
Mexico, a G20 and OECD member, is the world's 12th-largest economy, aiming for the 10th spot. Our official presence dates back to 1827, and we continue to build on nearly 200 years of cooperation.
In healthcare, Switzerland stands out for innovation and excellence. Companies like Roche, Novartis, Sandoz, and Nestlé drive progress in pharmaceuticals, medical technology, and nutrition, emphasizing quality and sustainability.
Swiss companies contribute through knowledge transfer and joint R&D efforts. Many Swiss firms have deep roots here—Nestlé, for example, will soon mark 100 years in Mexico. In 2024 alone, Switzerland invested over $50 million in the country’s healthcare sector.
Swiss healthcare companies play a major role in job creation and skills development, generating over 15,000 direct jobs and supporting 500,000 more indirectly. As a top European investor in life sciences, Switzerland drives healthcare innovation, economic resilience, and global partnerships. Over the past three years, we’ve worked on a positive agenda with Swiss companies in Mexico, guided by a simple principle: never be part of the problem, always be part of the solution. This approach has strengthened collaboration with Mexican authorities and positioned Switzerland as a key healthcare partner.
Our Embassy helps Swiss businesses connect with Mexican authorities to improve regulations, strengthen research ties, and promote innovation. Key priorities include accelerating drug approvals and protecting intellectual property, which drive long-term innovation and technology transfer. One standout initiative is our Academy-Industry Training (AIT) Program, a collaboration with Switzerland’s University of St.Gallen and Mexico’s Science Ministry, the SECIHTI, supporting tech startups and improving regulatory environments.
EF: Could you provide an overview of the Swiss Pharmaceutical industry in Mexico and how it is driving innovation?
PP: The Swiss pharmaceutical industry is a global leader, and Mexico is no exception. Companies like EQ Corporate, Novartis, Roche, and Sandoz bring cutting-edge innovation and high-quality standards. Swiss Pharma stands out for three reasons: constant innovation, top-quality standards, and a strong ESG commitment. Beyond business, Swiss firms drive medical research, set global benchmarks, and foster scientific collaboration.
Roche, for instance, leads in early detection tests and clinical studies, particularly in personalized medicine. In Mexico, they focus on major health challenges like cancer, diabetes, and neurological diseases—key public priorities. In 2024 alone, Roche reached over 40 million Mexicans through its pharma and diagnostics divisions.
As Mexico’s leader in clinical research, Roche invested 350 million pesos in 68 studies last year. With supportive regulations, they could invest up to 2.5 billion pesos over the next six years, accelerating innovation and improving treatment for high-impact diseases. We emphasize this to Mexican authorities—stronger regulatory frameworks would unlock further clinical research, benefiting public health and technological advancement.
Diagnostics are central to public health. While they drive over 70% of clinical decisions, they account for just 2% of healthcare spending. Roche is bridging this gap by improving early detection, enhancing treatment, and reducing system strain. Efficient testing leads to better care, coverage, and patient outcomes, ultimately easing pressure on hospitals and clinics.
Beyond diagnostics, Roche is transforming treatment delivery. Their subcutaneous therapies cut administration time from two hours to just 7–10 minutes, reducing hospital strain and making care more accessible, even at home. This is about meeting real public health needs, not just business growth.
Novartis is also driving healthcare transformation by expanding patient access and boosting economic impact. Last year, they helped over 1.3 million patients in Mexico, contributing over $445 million in social value and $491 million to the country’s GDP. With 14% of their investment in R&D, they remain committed to better health and a stronger economy.
EF: Where do you see the largest opportunities or the top tokens that Mexico can contribute to this collaboration?
PP: Mexico is emerging as a healthcare innovation hub, driven partly by Novartis' efforts to make it a regional center for breakthrough therapies. This has enabled earlier access to advanced treatments in Mexico and Latin America, with strong potential for future growth.
Sandoz, another key player, focuses on accessibility by leading in generics and biosimilars, making quality medications more affordable. Each time it introduces a biosimilar, access increases by 50%, improving countless lives. Mexico is central to this strategy due to its cost efficiency, strategic location, and trusted institutions.
With greater investment in healthcare and smart IP laws, innovation can thrive while keeping generics affordable. Recognizing this, Sandoz established its Americas shared services center in Mexico. Swiss companies are not just operating in Mexico but shaping its healthcare future.
We see great potential for MedTech in Mexico. In January, we participated in the first MedTech binational mission between California, USA, and Baja California, Mexico, a border region where Tijuana has become a MedTech hub. This mission carried out with our Swiss Business Hub in Mexico, was the first time we collaborated with the Swiss Business Hub in the US through Switzerland Global Enterprise. It was the first Swiss MedTech cross-border business mission, and we observed very interesting dynamics and a high level of integrated cross-border activities.
Our goal is to expand Switzerland’s role in supply chains and markets. Swiss companies on the mission explored opportunities to integrate into local supply chains while leveraging Baja California’s high-quality production capabilities. Nearshoring and Baja California’s position as Switzerland’s 6th largest direct investment destination add further advantages.
This mission strengthened Switzerland’s presence in Baja California, building on Swiss companies’ strong network in California, particularly in San Diego County. We continue to promote public-private cooperation in medical devices, tech, and pharmaceuticals to drive technology and knowledge transfer. Baja California is Latin America’s largest medical device hub, home to companies like Fisher & Paykel, Medtronic, and Becton Dickinson, which demonstrate top-tier manufacturing. During our visit, we met with the governor and economic leaders, reinforcing the region’s focus on MedTech growth. Consolidating public-private partnerships remains our core commitment.
Switzerland is highly committed to driving innovation- How does this impact your work in Mexico, e.g., in collaboration with the growing Startup Ecosystem?
A valuable part of what we do at the Embassy is to actively foster partnerships with Mexican government agencies, universities, and research centers to boost innovation ecosystems. In December 2024, the Swiss Undersecretary of State for Research and Innovation came with a delegation to discuss, with the SECIHTI and with universities, possible cooperation avenues in areas like biotechnology, digital health, and personalized medicine, with a shared focus on improving health and sustainability through joint research initiatives.
Specifically in the realm of supporting startups, Swiss initiatives like the Academia-Industry Training (AIT) program help Latin American startups, including those in Mexico, bring innovative health solutions to market. With a focus on biopharma, digital health, and AI diagnostics, these startups gain access to the Swiss innovation ecosystem, funding, incubators, and industry connections to scale their solutions globally.
In the same matter, the Leading House for Latin America, the University of St. Gallen, searches to enhance scientific collaboration with Mexico. This initiative focuses on expanding joint research projects in sustainable farming, water management, and digital health to create a more resilient health system in both countries.
EF: Travelling the world as a diplomat, what experiences have touched your heart, and what legacy do you want to leave in Mexico before moving to a new post?
PP: One of the most important lessons I have learned is that your best assignment is always the one you are in. Every role reveals more about you than anything else—it is about making the most of it. After nearly 30 years in this field, I have come to appreciate the steep learning curve and am incredibly grateful for it. My job has allowed me to meet fascinating people worldwide. There are challenges, of course, but you quickly realize many countries face similar ones.
One of the most valuable perspectives I've gained is that, while we sometimes tend to have a Eurocentric perspective, every context has its own logic and intrinsic value. It was a perspective I gained during my eye-opening posting in Indonesia. There, I encountered a vibrant society facing tremendous challenges yet brimming with potential. Such experiences shape you profoundly. What I take from these 30 years is that growth never stops. Never stop learning—meeting remarkable people and working together to seize opportunities is humbling yet incredibly enriching.
